


Good Influence

by cywscross



Series: Tumblr Prompts 2015 [10]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe, Fix-It, Gen, Prompt Fill, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-12
Updated: 2015-02-12
Packaged: 2018-03-12 01:26:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,777
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3338834
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cywscross/pseuds/cywscross
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <strong>melikesrofl asked: Hehe, just wanna pop this bunny by before it runs too far: what will happen if some mentor/father figure pops by Konoha and takes Itachi under his/her wing? Before/after the massacre might work, and all the FEELS. Woah. I think someone did some short fics on this before, but going along with your favourite protectiveness theme in ur works, I think this might just become something to behold. Any thoughts? XD</strong>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	Good Influence

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MeLikesRofl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MeLikesRofl/gifts).



> This became way longer than I'd planned. I totally didn't mean to write even half this much. It's basically half stream of consciousness, half drabble.

* * *

 

Ooh, who would be the father figure? Throwing in the time travel trope would be the most common, with an older Naruto or Sasuke intervening. But maybe someone else instead? Older!Shikamaru maybe, who would definitely be more than a match for kid!Itachi, has the wisdom of someone older and more knowledgeable, but also has the laidback nature of a Nara so - with time - he could probably get Itachi to relax a little. And he’d know all about the Uchiha Massacre but he looks too much like a Nara to actually stay in the village so maybe he stays outside of it and pretends to bump into Itachi on one of Itachi’s missions? Maybe saves his life, and Itachi is of course suspicious at first, he knows a Nara when he sees one but the man isn’t a Konoha-nin, and he slips away into the shadows before Itachi can even ask for a name. And Itachi knows he should probably report the man’s presence to the Hokage and his father but he obviously didn’t want to be seen, he _did_ save Itachi’s life, and it doesn’t really hurt anyone if Itachi keeps the eight seconds of the man’s appearance out of his report, right? So he doesn’t say anything, figuring that maybe the Nara was a mercenary who left his clan early on, and he certainly doesn’t expect to see him again.

Except he does, twice more on two different solo A-class missions, the Nara cutting in whenever Itachi is about to take a heavy blow, and for some reason, he leaves those encounters out of his reports too.

The fourth time they meet is - finally - in the aftermath of battle at the inn Itachi stops at for a night’s rest before heading home, and he ends up spotting the Nara snacking on dango and drinking tea in the tiny restaurant across the street. Itachi doesn’t waste any time approaching him, warily of course, but after being saved three times by this man without any resulting consequences, he’s inclined to give the Nara the benefit of the doubt for now.

And that’s how their pseudo-mentorship starts. Itachi may be a Chuunin already at the tender age of ten but the Nara is undoubtedly above him in skill even without the advantage of a Sharingan. Itachi’s seen the man fight, however briefly - the Nara fights with shadows like they’re alive and fully willing to obey with a mere _thought_ from their master.

As expected of a Nara, the man is lazy as all hell and seems amused by Itachi more than anything else. He barely answers any of Itachi’s already watered down questions, only giving a name - Shika; must be short for something longer because a quarter of the Nara clan has that bit in their names, and therefore, is a cop-out - and confirming that he was something of a ninja for hire, independent of any village. After a lot of pointed staring - Itachi has never been one for _nagging_ like his dear otouto who can still make it cute if occasionally exasperating - the Nara sighs like Itachi’s asking him to cut off an arm but he finally drags himself upright and follows Itachi to an abandoned clearing. Shika teaches Itachi a brand-new fire jutsu that day that even Itachi doesn’t know despite being an _Uchiha with a fire affinity_.

After that, they keep meeting up. Nobody knows - nobody needs to know, Itachi reasons; Shika isn’t hurting anyone, and he hasn’t even asked Itachi anything remotely relating to Konoha - and Itachi begins looking forward more and more to his solo missions because it gives him a legitimate reason to get away from the expectations of his clan and the expectations of the Hokage and the suspicion of the rest of the village, and before he knows it, his solo missions aren’t really solo anymore what with Shika always joining him at some point and they end up completing the mission together early before Itachi follows Shika around until it’s time for him to head home again. And sometimes, Shika trains him (Itachi slowly gets a knack for motivating the Nara), but other times, the man hauls him away to some patch of nature and they spend the entire day lazing in the sun because Shika accuses him of working too hard, or the man takes him out for ice-cream for no apparent reason whatsoever, or - one memorable time - Shika drags Itachi off to a pet shelter of all things and they spend the whole afternoon playing with cats.

It’s… nice, because Shika is nothing like his father who’s rarely ever happy, and expects Itachi to be perfect at everything, and even after he’s perfect, Itachi is expected to _stay_ perfect. Shika doesn’t really expect anything from him besides taking their training sessions seriously - which Itachi always dutifully does because it’s in his nature to work hard - and while he never flings out compliments every five minutes, he does give quiet praise when Itachi accomplishes something that makes the Nara’s eyebrows rise with something like surprise. Itachi always likes that best because he’s come to realize that Shika isn’t much surprised by anything.

And eventually - inevitably - almost a year’s worth of mission time with the man, Itachi opens up about his family situation, especially when his father keeps bringing up the threat of coups, and the Hokage gets increasingly disapproving frown lines when Uchihas are mentioned, and more than once, Danzou’s approached him with casual conversation and calculating eyes and Shisui is getting more and more shifty-eyed in his presence, and everything is spiraling out of his control, and Itachi just _doesn’t know_ what to do.

"Go make friends," Shika tells him, much to Itachi’s bafflement. They’re lying on a hilltop somewhere in the Land of Rivers, watching the clouds drift by. Itachi,s taken to doing this even at home; he thinks the Naras are on to something because it really is quite relaxing, and the quiet tends to settle his mind and give him a sense of real peace.

"Go make friends," Shika repeats in that steel-edged voice that makes Itachi sit up and really, _really_ listen.  “Start with the Naras. They’ll be theorizing about your motives in no time flat, but they’re also the most easygoing of the clans so they’re a good start to test out your social skills.”

Itachi scowls at this, especially when Shika grins and ruffles his hair in response (he ignores the glow of warmth in his chest when his mentor looks at him with undisguised affection). He literally shows more emotion around Shika than he does anyone else, and isn’t that just sad because this man isn’t even Konoha ( _but he’s family in all the ways that matter, and maybe that’s even sadder_ _but Itachi hopes this is one thing he’ll never have to give up_ ). He has no idea how making friends is going to solve anything, but Shika’s never led him wrong thus far, so Itachi goes home and tries it out.

It’s torture, literally torture, because trying to _make friends_ leave him feeling pathetically nervous with a queasy stomach to boot. Itachi is certain that being a POW in Iwa would be easier than this, but he made a promise to Shika that he would at least give it a try, not to mention there was something in the way Shika looked at him, something heavy and grief-filled and tired, that - more than anything else - convinced Itachi that there must be something to this ‘making friends’ plan.

So he does it, even though Nara Shiroe - four years older than him, a Jounin like Itachi just became, and in possession of a sly, surprisingly manipulative intelligence that puts half his clan to shame - gives him a bemused sideways look when Itachi first approached him after a mission paired them together, asking in a hopefully not monotone voice if the older teen wants to go for lunch. The words feel awkward in his own mouth but Shiroe agrees, shockingly enough, and conversation over ramen isn’t _too_ uncomfortable because time with Shika has taught Itachi how to respond with something other than one-word answers. Even better, while Shiroe does talk more than Shika does, it isn’t by much, and Itachi is relieved to find that Shiroe enjoys a bit of quiet too and isn’t a chatterbox by any means. They don’t talk about anything overly serious, and by the end of lunch, Itachi goes home knowing Shiroe’s favourite pastimes - cloud-watching but _not_ shogi (“It’s boring, Tachi-kun. The rules are always the same.” And doesn’t that give some interesting and vaguely ominous insight to Shiroe’s personality?), reading mystery novels (“I like solving the mystery before the book gives it away.”), and creating seals (“Once you no the basics, _there are no rules_. Don’t you think that’s fun, Tachi-kun?”) - and Shiroe goes home with Itachi having imparted a few of his own personal details to the other Jounin - he likes eating meals at traditional Japanese cafes most (“Well, we could go next time if you want.”), his favourite food is onigiri, and if he ever enters the ANBU, he really, really hopes that the Hokage won’t give him the generic weasel mask.

Itachi never used to give away anything of himself to people he didn’t explicitly trust, ever. As he grew up, he stopped giving away anything of himself even to his mother and brother.

Shika’s somehow taught him to trust - however little, however tentatively - without Itachi ever telling him a word of his trust issues and other troubles.

Itachi goes out for after-mission meals a handful more times with Shiroe, who honestly seems to like him for some reason, which is a novel experience for Itachi, and yes, alright, Shiroe sometimes watches Itachi like Itachi’s a new and exotic specimen but considering just how bad the Uchihas’ standing is in the village, that’s not really much of a surprise, and Shiroe does him the courtesy of not hiding it when he stares at Itachi like one would a soap opera.

Weeks later, when they meet up for lunch again, Shiroe has his old teammates - Akimichi Ryuu and Yamanaka Saya, the former a Chuunin, the latter a Tokubetsu Jounin, both also four years older - with him, and while the latter two look a little cautious around Itachi, they still sit down with him without any signs of hesitation, and when Saya brings up the upcoming New Year celebrations, Ryuu quickly chimes in with what his family restaurants will be contributing, Shiroe throws in his opinions, and all three drag Itachi into the discussion as well. It’s hard not to get caught up in Saya and Ryuu’s enthusiasm. Shiroe smirks at him, and there’s something knowing about his expression that reminds Itachi of Shika when they’re playing shogi and his mentor already has a surefire method for trouncing Itachi barely three moves into the game. It’s an expression that sort of makes Itachi want to punch the Nara in the face once or twice. Not at all like him but apparently there are always exceptions.

Another month and a half later, Saya and Ryuu are seeking him out even without Shiroe present, and suddenly, in the middle of politely greeting Saya’s parents after the older girl invited him over for dinner with her family, Itachi realizes he has _friends_. This epiphany leaves him in a dazed state of disbelief that lingers even after Ryuu happily introduces him to his older brothers and starts giving him discounts at all the Akimichi restaurants in Konoha.

"You’re a bit slow on the uptake, Tachi-kun," Shiroe tells him one day when they’re cloud-watching in the forests behind the Nara main house. Itachi is a regular visitor nowadays. Nara Shikaku and his wife Yoshino even lets Itachi _babysit_ their son with Shiroe (who usually lazes on the couch now that he can boss Itachi around to do all the work).

Itachi frowns up at a cloud that looks like the shadow-cat that Shika can make with his shadows. He misses his mentor, whom he’s only met up with three times over the past three months. He’s a newly minted Jounin so the Hokage has had him running missions with a partner almost every time.

"Especially since this is what you wanted to begin with," Shiroe continues, watching Itachi out of the corner of his eye. The older teen tilts his head a little. "Or… not?"

Now Shiroe just looks entertained and slightly puzzled. Itachi - for all his genius - doesn’t get it.

Not right then anyway. He gets it two weeks later when he’s walking Sasuke home with their mother, and the Akimichi clan head’s wife Michiko walks up, greets Itachi and Sasuke warmly, before turning to their mother and explaining how she’s already invited Yoshino and Shizuka and a few other women in their three clans to the Akimichis’ newest restaurant that will be opening soon and will mostly cater to the female population so obviously, they need feedback from various sources before opening day, and she’s already stopped by the Inuzukas’ place where Tsume has already agreed to bring over a few of her female clan members tomorrow night, and Michiko was just heading over to the Uchiha compound to extend the same invitation but since she’s caught her on their way home, would Mikoto like to come as well? She can bring some of her clan members too; everyone would be welcome.

Itachi has not seen his mother so stunned in a very long time, though to be fair, it has been a very long time since anyone from outside their village has treated them with anything other than suspicion or veiled contempt.

Mikoto recovers admirably and graciously accepts, though Itachi can sense some apprehension from her as well. Later that night, Itachi hears her talking about it with his father, and both are more than a little doubtful of this invitation.

The next night, Itachi sits awake in his bedroom and waits until his mother gets home. He hears her tell Fugaku in an almost mystified tone of voice that the get-together went… well. The handful of Inuzukas kept an eye on her for the first half hour before relaxing, and the few Aburames were blunt when spoken to, but they were blunt with everyone, and the Hyuugas had declined the invite, but overall, it went… far better than expected.

In his room, Itachi smiles and thinks he’s beginning to understand what Shika’s solution is.

It doesn’t stop there, as Itachi eagerly reveals to Shika another few months later when he’s given a solo mission again. From what he’s seen, the Naras, Yamanakas, and Akimichis are subtly leading the charge so to speak, inviting their Uchiha teammates out for a meal or a night at the bar when they get back from a mission, but an Inuzuka was seen challenging an Uchiha to a spar, and it was _friendly_ , and the Aburame clan head dropped Sasuke off at the Uchiha compound on his way home with his own son when Mikoto was needed at the hospital for an emergency operation right when school just let out. The Hyuugas were still distant and aloof, but then they always had been with the Uchihas so Itachi figures that’ll take more time.

But overall, the Uchiha Clan is in a state of perpetual - if well-hidden - confusion, even though some of them are beginning to look almost happy when the other clans approach them.

"Will this work?" Itachi asks from Shika’s back where he’s being carried because one of his tendons were cut in the battle five minutes ago, and Shika only had time to slap on some bandages and numb the injury before they had to hightail out of the area. Further medical attention will have to wait until they get back to the inn they’re staying at.

Shika hums noncommittally as he runs towards the nearest town. “Well, let’s hope so.”

Itachi rests his chin on his mentor’s shoulder, drowsy from the difficult mission. “How did you come up with the idea anyway?”

He thinks he hears Shika huff out a laugh but he doesn’t think it’s a very happy sound. More nostalgic at best.

"Because that’s what a friend of mine would’ve suggested," Shika murmurs as Itachi begins nodding off. "And he was rarely ever wrong about this sort of thing."

Itachi dozes off to the thought that no matter how initally uncomfortable he was with the whole ‘making friends’ business, he’d much rather stand by it than the bloody brink of rebellion that the Uchihas were standing on only a handful of months ago.

 

**Author's Note:**

> **Please leave a review on your way out.**


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